Territory



(No Model.)

, W. J. SKIDMORE. WAGON BRAKE.

No. 590,745. Patented Sept. 28, 1897.

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l VILLIAM J. SKIDMORE, OF VATONGA, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

WAGON-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,745, dated September 28, 1897. Application filed November 12, 1896. smalls, 611,810. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. SKIDMORE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Watonga, in the county of Blaine, Oklahoma Territory, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to automatic wagonbrakes.

My object is to provide a wagon-brake of simple, strong, and durable construction which will be automatically actuated when the vehicle is descending an incline and the brake powerfully applied.

Having this object in view, the invention consists of an automatic wagon-brake comprising thosenovel features and combinations appearing more fully hereinafter.

The accompanying drawing is a bottom view of a wagon running-gear equipped with my improved automatic brake.

The numerals 1 and 2 designate the axles, which are mounted in the usual tractionwheels 3 and at, respectively.

The coupling pole or reach is designated by the numeral 5, and 6 and 7 designate the rear and front hounds, respectively. Connected to thefront hound are two plates 8 and 9, which are securely connected together. The two plates have longitudinally extending slots 10. a

The numeral 11 designates .the drafttongue, which is slidable longitudinally between these plates, and it is provided with a pin 12, which is movable in the slot. tongue also has another aperture adapted for the reception of a pin 13, which can be inserted prior to backing the wagon or vehicle, so as to prevent application of the brake in such places. At 14 there is shown a coilspring, which has one end connected to a hook 15 on the front axle and its other end hooked to a bolt or pin 16 at the rear end of the tongue. This spring exerts a tendency to draw the sliding tongue backward, but this tendency is resisted when the wagon is in movement, as the tongue is then drawn forward.

This.

The brake-shaft is designated by the numeral17, and it carries the usual shoes 18 and 19,'which are located on arms of the shaft.

This shaft is also provided wit-h an arm 20.

A lever 21 is pivoted to the rear axle, and a pitman 22 pivotally connects one end of this lever with the arm 20. There is a similar lever 23 pivoted to the front axle, and a pitman 24 connects one end of this lever to the bolt 16. The connecting-rod is made in two sections 25 and 26, the former passing through a guide 27 on the latter and a clamp 28, also secured to the section 26. A clamping-screw 29 passes through this clamp and is adapted to be screwed against the section 25. thus be seen that the two sections can be adjusted as desirable.

The action is extremely simple and obvious. Then the wagon descends a declivity, both the holdback force exerted by the animals and the action of the spring serve to operate thevarious levers, pitmen, connecting-rods, and brake-shaft,'so that the brake is applied.

' As before stated, the pin or bolt 13 can be inserted in the tongue to prevent the brakes being applied when the wagon is backed.

VVhen on level ground, when a pull is being ,I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, 'is V 1. An automatic vehicle-brake comprising a brake proper, a tongue or pole slidable longitudinally in relation to the running-gear of the vehicle, operative connections between the tongue and the brake whereby the latter is applied when the tongue moves backwardly, and a coil-spring connected to the runninggear and to the tongue, said spring constantly exerting a tendency to draw the tongue backward and apply the brake.

2, In an automatic brake for vehicles, the combination with front hounds having plates provided with slots, of a pole or tongue slidable backward and forward between said plates and provided with the pin which moves in the slots, levers pivoted to the front and rear axles of the running-gear, abrake-beam,

It will.

a pitman connecting the same With one arm of the rear lever, a pitman connecting one arm of the front lever with the pole, a connecting-rod formed in two sections connected to the remaining arms of the front and rear levers, and slidable relatively to each other, a clamp for holding said sections together,

and a close-coil spring having one end connected to the front axle and the other end 10 connected to the pole, said spring constantly Witnesses:

J. R. McKAY, J. W. MULLIGAN. 

